Painter and printmaker, Professor Sanat Kar (b. 1935) was the head of the Department of Graphics, Kala Bhavan and ended his teaching career as the Principal, Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan in 1995 when he retired.

Educated at the Government College of Art and Crafts (1955-59) he is also the founder member and Secretary of the Artists’ Circle, Calcutta, Society of Contemporary Artists (1960-74). His paintings are an eloquent testimony to his talent and artistic powers. Kar has contributed innovative techniques to graphic printing in India. These include the process of wood intaglio, cardboard intaglio and engraving on sunmica and other synthetic surfaces.

Over the years Kar’s strange surrealistic figurations, some with geometric and reductionist tendencies, have a curious dream-like appearance. All his paintings seemingly hover on the edge of reality without ever reaching there. He uses the medium of tempera most often. The texture of the material he works with, adds to the aura, and his meticulous penmanship also lends credence to the whole.